Frugalpac Gears Up for Worldwide Expansion With £5 Million Backing for Innovative Paper Bottle

Image Credit: Frugalpac

Frugalpac, the Ipswich-based clean technology pioneer behind the world’s first commercially available paper wine and spirits bottle, has unveiled a £5 million equity fundraising campaign aimed at accelerating its global growth and breaking into new sustainable packaging formats.

The investment round is being hosted on the crowdfunding platform Crowdcube. Even before its public launch, the campaign has already secured £1 million from a combination of loyal existing investors and new supporters. Frugalpac is inviting customers, partners, and the Crowdcube community to join in what it describes as a transformation of the global packaging industry.

At the centre of its innovation is the Frugal Bottle, crafted from 94% recycled paper, boasting a carbon footprint that is 84% lower than that of traditional glass, and weighing five times less. Fully recyclable, the bottle is already in use by more than 50 drink brands spread across 27 countries. Names include Greenall’s Gin, Silent Pool, When in Rome Wine, and Bonny Doon. Retail heavyweights such as Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Laithwaites, Ocado, Target, Whole Foods Market, and 7-Eleven have all stocked the bottle.

Since its introduction, over three million Frugal Bottles have been produced. This has prevented an estimated 1,400 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, a saving comparable to powering 292 homes for an entire year or removing 3,267 petrol cars from the road.

The fresh funding will be channelled into scaling operations. Plans include deploying additional Frugal Bottle Assembly Machines, also known as FBAMs, worldwide, developing new products such as recyclable paper paint pots, and expanding manufacturing capacity to meet the surging demand. Orders have already been placed by companies in the United States, Canada, and Australia. A new high-speed FBAM2 model is being developed to enhance efficiency further.

Interest in the technology is strong. Frugalpac reports more than 2,000 enquiries, 100 active customer quotations, and 50 serious expressions of interest from packaging companies across markets that span India, South Africa, and Europe. The company is collaborating with a significant international paint brand on the Frugal Paint Pot, while also advancing designs for the Frugal Cup for takeaway drinks and Frugal Pots for food and FMCG products.

Frugalpac’s CEO, Malcolm Waugh, said: “Our mission is simple. We’re offering a scalable alternative to glass that reduces emissions, supports circularity and is already being embraced by the drinks industry. This crowdfunding allows eligible investors to back a proven technology at a crucial moment – and help us accelerate our impact around the world.”

The potential market is vast. According to Euromonitor, 33 billion 750ml wine and spirits bottles are sold globally each year. Frugalpac is targeting a modest 0.58 per cent share of that market by 2029, which translates to 191 million bottles annually. Achieving this would require 22 operational machines and could deliver £51 million in annual revenue. The company forecasts profitability from the second quarter of 2026, with revenue growing from £2 million in 2024 to £51 million in 2029 and pre-tax profit reaching £27 million.

Frugalpac’s innovations have earned it international acclaim, including the King’s Award for Innovation 2024. Its now-famous “Cardboardeaux” bottles even found their way into the hands of King Charles and Queen Camilla during a state visit to France, a symbolic nod to the company’s growing global presence.

Waugh added: “We’re not just building packaging, we’re building a better future for the planet. And the opportunity to join us in the next stage of our paper packaging revolution.”